I guide you through the liminal, often messy stages of transformation—helping you identify the forces at play, clarify your vision and values, and chart a path forward with empathy, responsiveness, and purpose.
After nearly 20 years supporting Fortune 500s as a consultant, I've learned that the most effective way to impact change is to coach leaders to do this work themselves. Authorship is ownership, and I'm here to help you be accountable for the transformation you need to make.
I help leaders and entrepreneurs think strategically, solve complex problems, and make brave decisions. Combining expertise in human-centered design, foresight, and systems thinking, I tailor every session to your unique goals, empowering you to take meaningful action.
For Entrepreneurs Launching or Scaling a Business
Define what growth means for your business and how it aligns with your vision and values.
Identify and address barriers to scaling sustainably.
Build a customer and employee- centric approach using human -centered design principles.
Develop a roadmap for innovation and competitive differentiation.
Establish systems and processes that support long-term success.
Find balance while managing the demands of entrepreneurship.
Navigate organizational change and align teams to shared goals.
Understand the needs of your team and stakeholders, and use this insight to craft strategic narratives to drive human-centered change.
Strengthen systems thinking to address complex organizational challenges.
Develop foresight to anticipate trends and disruptions in your industry.
Develop strategies for fostering collaboration and innovation within your team.
Improve communication and influence to build stronger relationships across functions.
Align leadership practices with personal values and organizational goals.
I provide customized training in design research, strategic foresight, systems thinking, human-centered design, and innovation, equipping teams with the tools they need to tackle complexity and uncertainty. My approach goes beyond training—I support teams as they apply these skills, empowering them to drive meaningful change and develop solutions independently.
Support for human-centered practice development.
Customized workshops in strategic foresight, systems thinking, and design research.
Hands-on training in human-centered design and innovation methodologies.
Develop the skills to identify key insights and drive strategic decision-making.
Learn to reframe complex problems and uncover actionable human-centered opportunities.
Build foresight capabilities to anticipate trends and navigate uncertainty.
Strengthen team collaboration and problem-solving through practical applications.
Facilitate the application of newly learned skills to real-world challenges.
Provide frameworks and tools for tackling organizational complexity.
Coach teams through systems mapping and foresight exercises.
Support innovation processes to create impactful, sustainable solutions.
Empower teams to confidently lead change and navigate uncertainty.
About Me
I'm an anthropologist who escaped the ivory tower, had some amazing adventures in industry, and then found my way back to the blackboard to help future business leaders learn how to navigate uncertainty better.
Applying Anthropology to Drive Innovation and Change
I hold a PhD in cultural anthropology from the University of Toronto. For the past 17 years I have applied what I've learned about developing human insight to helping organizations innovate and move through uncertainty. I helped develop and then led the human insights practice at a global innovation firm called Idea Couture. I worked with Fortune 500's to use human insight to develop programs that transform how organizations think, behave and innovate.
Bringing Human-Centered Design to Business Education
As the Academic Director of the Business Design Initiative at the Rotman School of Management, I lead the integration of human-centered design into business education. I teach MBA and Executive Education courses in Design Research, Systems Thinking, and Strategic Foresight, coaching future business leaders to incorporate these tools and mindsets into their approach to leadership.
Aiken-Klar Consulting & Coaching is located in T’karonto, Treaty 13 territory which includes unceded lands, and is home to many nations including the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishnabeg, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee and the Wendat peoples and is now home to many diverse First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples.